scrape Definition
scrape (skrāp)
transitive verb scraped, scrap′·ing
- to rub over the surface of with something rough or sharp
- to make smooth or clean by rubbing with a tool or abrasive
- to remove by rubbing with something sharp or rough: with off, out, etc.
- to scratch or abrade by a rough, rubbing contact to fall and scrape one's knee
- to rub with a harsh, grating sound chalk scraping a blackboard
- to dig, esp. with the hands and nails
- to collect or gather slowly and with difficulty to scrape together some money
Etymology: ME scrapen < ON skrapa, akin to Du schrapen, OE screpan, to scratch < IE base *(s)ker-, to cut > scurf, sharp
intransitive verb
- to scrape something so as to remove dirt, etc.
- to rub against something harshly; grate
- to give out a harsh, grating noise
- to collect or gather goods or money slowly and with difficulty
- to manage to get by; survive: with through, along, by
- to draw the foot back along the ground in bowing
noun
- the act of scraping
- a scraped place; abrasion or scratch
- the noise of scraping; harsh, grating sound
- a disagreeable or embarrassing situation; predicament, esp. when caused by one's own conduct
- a fight or conflict
scrape Related Forms
scrap′er noun
scrape Synonyms
scrape Usage Examples
Object
- barrel: Posted by: pete Here are some handy tips to stop you before you have to start scraping the barrel!
- acquaintance: That girl would scrape acquaintance with anybody; she had no reserve, none of the enamel of the lady.
- living: The vast majority spend every waking hour trying to scrape a living, just to survive.
- mud: They would scrape the mud from the body revealing what was left of its skin.
- bottom: You can tell we're scraping the bottom of the barrel for things to look for.
- ice: In our old place I used to be scraping ice off the windows.
Adjective modifier
- shallow: During the breeding season, a male will make several shallow nest scrapes in a well guarded territory.
- minor: Outside, the bag is in good condition, but does have some minor surface scrapes from natural wear and tear.
Adjective complement
clean: Low on the mountain the quartzites are scraped clean.
Modifying Another Word
- barely: Bad luck to the Raveonettes ' Ode to la, which barely scrapes the 500 sales to land in the top 75.
- gently: I also VERY gently scraped the " feet " of the 555.
Followed by an intransitive particle
- through: I hope we scrape through into the World Cup next weekend, through individual brilliance.
- off: All the dirt is scraped off with the sticky oil.
- along: We would engage ' bottom gear ' and slither down on our bottoms, backpacks scraping along behind.
Followed by a transitive particle
- off: The arsenic could then be scraped off the walls, not a healthy job.
- away: Using a metal spoon, scrape away the crumbs to leave a smooth surface.
Particle object:
seed: Carefully scrape out the tiny black seeds with the tip of a sharp knife.
Noun used with modifier
- wader: Current projects/significant management activities: The Trust will be creating new wader scrapes and installing a series of dams this autumn.
- exhaust: LOL Posted on 06.09.06 at 10:17 H.A. ( Fat girls make my exhausts scrape!
- skin: Fish examination A skin scrape of two fish showed very high levels of white spot; indeed the slide was alive with them.

